Metro 2039: Hunter returns as leader of Novoreich, Martin Cid Magazine reports

Metro 2039 is scheduled to launch on Feb. 4, 2027, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, with releases following on Feb. 5 in Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, Martin Cid Magazine reported. Developed by 4A Games and published by Deep Silver, the fourth mainline installment in the franchise continues the story-driven, single-player first-person shooter series established by Metro 2033, Metro: Last Light, and Metro Exodus.

Hunter Returns as Ruler of the Novoreich Regime

In Metro 2033, the Spartan Ranger Hunter vanished into the dark after leaving Artyom a message to take to Polis. Metro 2039 brings Hunter back to the narrative as a man in power, leading a single regime known as Novoreich that has united the underground factions of the Moscow metro. The new protagonist, known as the Stranger, is a reclusive figure preparing to re-enter this underground system controlled by Hunter.

Unlike previous protagonist Artyom, who remained silent throughout the first three games, the Stranger features a full voice cast. He is a former elite Spartan soldier carrying a dark past, plagued by years of violent nightmares, and he previously vowed never to return to the metro. His search brings him to a new Novoreich stronghold built inside a dam on the surface of Moscow, where the regime uses propaganda and disinformation to control individual stations.

Gameplay Realism and Current-Gen Performance

A two-minute gameplay trailer titled Renegade debuted at Gamescom Opening Night Live on Aug. 25, 2026, featuring real-time footage captured directly from the game. The video follows the Stranger from daily life at Sevastopolskaya Station through radiation-polluted surface streets of Moscow, shifting between stealth and direct firefights as he uncovers the past he tried to leave behind.

PlayStation State of Play on Sept. 3, 2026, showcased the first console gameplay footage running on a PS5 Pro, featuring ray tracing at 60 frames per second in a dedicated performance mode. The presentation displayed weapons including the Shatun rifle equipped for silenced headshots, the Duplet shotgun, and Molotov cocktails, alongside survival mechanics such as managing radiation risks and maintaining equipment. Previews noted scarce ammunition, the need to wipe grime from gas mask visors, and a wrist-mounted watch displaying remaining oxygen levels.

Wartime Realities Shaping the Development

The darker tone of Metro 2039 stems directly from the studio’s operational reality, with 4A Games operating out of Kyiv and Malta. Studio leadership noted that original story plans shifted following 2022. Executive producer Jon Bloch stated in an interview with IGN that the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia brought the war to their doorstep, forcing the team to rethink the story they wanted to tell.

Creative director Andriy Shevchenko summarized the themes of the game as the cost of silence, the horrors of tyranny, and the price of freedom. He told Game Informer that the title leads players to where the darkest side of humanity is fully exposed. The franchise itself originated from novels by Dmitry Glukhovsky, depicting human survival inside a nuclear-devastated Moscow.

Deep Silver Reveals Collector's Edition as Pricing Remains Unknown

Pre-orders are scheduled to open later in 2026, though Deep Silver has not yet announced retail pricing. The publisher did reveal a Collector’s Edition featuring the franchise’s first physical replica item, which includes the scarred Spartan helmet worn by the Stranger.

The precise openness of the game world remains unaddressed by 4A Games. While Metro Exodus shifted the series toward expansive surface sandbox environments, current footage for Metro 2039 alternates between tight tunnels and ruined streets, leaving the overall scope of level design unconfirmed ahead of launch.